Home-grown plays centre stage at Naledis

The Market Theatre is celebrated for its artistic excellence and for its commitment to present original South African work.

Home-grown plays took centre stage at the Naledi Theatre Awards where the Market Theatre received an impressive 35 nominations.

“With such an impressive array of accolades our 42-year-old institution once again stands out as South Africa’s leading cultural institution,” said Zama Buthelezi, the Market Theatre Foundation’s Brand & Communications Manager. “The Market Theatre prides itself with its diverse programming and the platform that it creates for the promotion of South African scripts.”

When Swallows Cry

This year the Market Theatre scooped 6 of the major awards. Mike van Graan scooped the award for Best New South African Script for his powerful play about international migration, When Swallows Cry. The play had its world premiere at the Market Theatre. Lesedi Job walked away with the award for Best Director for her innovative and creative production of Van Graan’s hit play. When Swallows Cry also received the highest accolade of the evening when it was acknowledged with the Best Production Award.

John Lata received the Best Supporting Actor for his role in Es’kia Mphahlele’s short story The Suitcase adapted for the stage by James Ngcobo. The successful season at the Market Theatre was preceded by a six-week, sold-out, five-city tour of the UK.

The Inconvenience of Wings

Lara Foot’s The Inconvenience of Wings took Johannesburg audiences on a rollercoaster ride of emotions about bipolarity. In this poignant and stirring production both Jennifer Steyn and Andrew Buckland won the Best Actress and Best Actor Awards.

“On 18 June 1976, the founding fathers of the Market Theatre, Barney Simon and Mannie Manim, opened the doors of the Market Theatre to give South Africans a space where plays about our social and political conditions would resonate loudly and without fear. Last night on the 42nd anniversary of the opening of the Market Theatre the awards scooped by the Market Theatre were a remarkable testimony that even after more than four decades our artistic director James Ngcobo continues to programme bold new South African scripts that inspire us, engage us, challenge us and confront us to engage with our social and political conditions,” said Ismail Mahomed, the CEO of the Market Theatre Foundation.

With more 300 awards for artistic excellence and two awards for human rights won over four decades the Market Theatre is celebratory of its past, anchored to the present time and visionary about its future. The Market Theatre Foundation congratulates all the nominees and winners whose talents and hard work continue to offer South African audiences rich and diverse cultural experiences.